Los Angeles saxophonist Aaron Shaw's new album And So It Is is a hauntingly beautiful reflection of his struggle with bone marrow failure. At just 27 years old, Shaw was diagnosed with the debilitating condition that left him breathless and forced him to re-evaluate his approach to music.
Shaw, who has worked alongside jazz legends Kamasi Washington, Herbie Hancock, and Anderson .Paak, is perhaps best known for his role as a musician in Carlos Niño's band. But on And So It Is, Shaw takes center stage, navigating the tenor saxophone with quiet caution and often faltering through long, sustained notes.
The album is a deeply personal work, with Shaw exploring themes of mortality, loss, and the end of one musical road. Yet, despite the darkness of his subject matter, Shaw's music remains surprisingly optimistic, with intimate loops and unexpected flourishes on flute that provide moments of respite from the overall sense of melancholy.
The album's sound is reminiscent of West Coast jazz, but Shaw's style is distinctly his own – a lower, darker fog that he navigates with remarkable skill. And So It Is is a powerful and moving work that showcases Shaw's growth as an artist and his determination to overcome adversity.
In contrast, the week's best new tracks offer a diverse range of sounds and styles. Kim Gordon's solo career has been marked by abrasive and noisy industrial music, but on her latest release, she sings with warmth and vulnerability over a backdrop of warmer, racing synths.
Morgan Nagler's Grassoline is an instantly indelible ode to the natural world, with its shambolic, endearing twang and lyrics that explore themes of spirituality and mortality. Meanwhile, Raf-Saperra's Butcher's Scale is a hip-hop EP that blends Punjabi flow and instrumentation with boom-bap beats and guest verses from artists like Ghostface Killah.
Wu Lyf's Tib St Tabernacle is an 11-minute anthem that goes from spirited march to pell-mell gallop, while Elsas' debut solo release melds blown-out metallic percussion with holy vocals – comparisons to Rosalía are inevitable. Sunn O))) returns with a 10-minute guitar track that purrs like a snoring dinosaur, albeit with a surprise minimalist piano interlude.
Finally, Beau Wanzer's Shitty Cough 17 is a dark and monstrous track from the outsider dance producer's new EP, powered by a distorted dembow beat and demonic declarations. Overall, these tracks showcase the diversity and creativity of this week's best new releases.
Shaw, who has worked alongside jazz legends Kamasi Washington, Herbie Hancock, and Anderson .Paak, is perhaps best known for his role as a musician in Carlos Niño's band. But on And So It Is, Shaw takes center stage, navigating the tenor saxophone with quiet caution and often faltering through long, sustained notes.
The album is a deeply personal work, with Shaw exploring themes of mortality, loss, and the end of one musical road. Yet, despite the darkness of his subject matter, Shaw's music remains surprisingly optimistic, with intimate loops and unexpected flourishes on flute that provide moments of respite from the overall sense of melancholy.
The album's sound is reminiscent of West Coast jazz, but Shaw's style is distinctly his own – a lower, darker fog that he navigates with remarkable skill. And So It Is is a powerful and moving work that showcases Shaw's growth as an artist and his determination to overcome adversity.
In contrast, the week's best new tracks offer a diverse range of sounds and styles. Kim Gordon's solo career has been marked by abrasive and noisy industrial music, but on her latest release, she sings with warmth and vulnerability over a backdrop of warmer, racing synths.
Morgan Nagler's Grassoline is an instantly indelible ode to the natural world, with its shambolic, endearing twang and lyrics that explore themes of spirituality and mortality. Meanwhile, Raf-Saperra's Butcher's Scale is a hip-hop EP that blends Punjabi flow and instrumentation with boom-bap beats and guest verses from artists like Ghostface Killah.
Wu Lyf's Tib St Tabernacle is an 11-minute anthem that goes from spirited march to pell-mell gallop, while Elsas' debut solo release melds blown-out metallic percussion with holy vocals – comparisons to Rosalía are inevitable. Sunn O))) returns with a 10-minute guitar track that purrs like a snoring dinosaur, albeit with a surprise minimalist piano interlude.
Finally, Beau Wanzer's Shitty Cough 17 is a dark and monstrous track from the outsider dance producer's new EP, powered by a distorted dembow beat and demonic declarations. Overall, these tracks showcase the diversity and creativity of this week's best new releases.
. I mean, 27 and already dealing with bone marrow failure? That's like, life takes a drastic turn right there. But what I love about his music is how he navigates this darkness with such elegance - it's not like he's trying to force anything out of it. He's still got that West Coast jazz vibe going on, but with a darker edge that makes it feel super introspective. And then you've got Kim Gordon being her usual cool self, Morgan Nagler's ode to nature is like the most soothing thing ever 
, and Raf-Saperra's hip-hop EP has some really interesting collabs... I mean, Ghostface Killah? Whoa! 
But honestly, what resonates with me the most is how these artists are pushing boundaries despite their struggles. It's like they're saying, "Hey, even in the dark times, there's beauty to be found." And that's something we can all get behind 
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. Can't they just stick to one format? Anyway, I heard about Aaron Shaw's new album And So It Is and it sounds like a really powerful work for someone going through what he's going through. His music is hauntingly beautiful, but also somehow hopeful? Not sure how the flute parts fit into that vibe though... 
Coincidence is just too convenient in my book...
. Kim Gordon's new solo stuff sounds really interesting though - I've always been a fan of her with Sonic Youth, so to hear her singing now is gonna be a treat 
I'm loving Aaron Shaw's new album And So It Is right now 
it's like he's taking all his emotions and putting them into music 
I mean, 27 and already dealing with bone marrow failure? that's crazy! 
but at the same time, it's so beautiful... he finds a way to make it sound hopeful instead of just sad 
I love how diverse his style is too - not just jazz, but flute and synths on this new album 
and have you heard Kim Gordon's solo track? she's got some serious pipes on her 
. The way he navigates that tenor sax with quiet caution, it's just so hauntingly beautiful 
. I love how despite the darkness of the subject matter, there's still these moments of optimism and hope 
. It's not every day you hear a musician put their mortality on display like this... but Shaw makes it work in such a powerful way 
.
. Meanwhile, Wu Lyf's Tib St Tabernacle is this epic anthem that never fails to get me pumped up 
... it's like they're speaking a different language 
. And Beau Wanzer's Shitty Cough 17 is just wild 
... I don't know what kind of magic he works in the studio, but it's pure genius 
. Can't wait to dive deeper 
it's like you can hear his heart beating through every note. I've got a kid with chronic illness and I know how hard it is to find the strength to keep going when everything feels overwhelming. But this album shows that even in the darkest moments, there's always hope and beauty to be found 
... it's so hauntingly beautiful u know? he's like taking you on a journey through his own personal hell with the saxophone and flute, but at the same time its super uplifting cuz he's not giving up. I love how he blends all these different emotions into one album, from sadness to hope. also Kim Gordon's new solo is soooo good! her voice is like butter for my soul 
his music is like a reflection of his soul - all this darkness and yet, there's this glimmer of hope? 
. And those collabs? Whoa... Ghostface Killah is always a bonus 
!
She's got this whole industrial vibe going on, but she's still got that vulnerability and warmth in her voice. It's like she's singing directly to my soul or something 
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. And Beau Wanzer's Shitty Cough 17? Forget about it 
. I mean, bone marrow failure is no joke, but does he have to make it sound like the whole world is ending? 
It's like she sold out or something.
, but that's about it for these releases. Overall, they're just a bunch of overhyped, try-hard artists trying too hard to be something they're not 
. Industrial music was never about warmth and vulnerability – that's just not its vibe at all. It's supposed to be abrasive and noisy, like it's trying to rip your face off.
The album's been climbing steadily and now it's like, #5 in the jazz category 
It's also super interesting to see how Morgan Nagler's Grassoline explores spirituality and mortality through music 
. And Wu Lyf's Tib St Tabernacle is just an EPIC anthem 
The diversity in this week's releases is on point, for sure. 
has anyone listened to his previous work with Carlos Niño's band and how does this album differ from that? 
I also love Kim Gordon's new solo release - her voice sounds so raw and vulnerable, like she's singing directly to your soul! 
, like he's really putting his heart out there on every note. And the fact that Kim Gordon is singing with warmth and vulnerability after all those years of making abrasive industrial music? 
. And Morgan Nagler's Grassoline? That song's like nature's own soundtrack 
.